Fast Food: And The Convenience Myth!
Most Americans are used to getting their calories from food sources that barely qualify as a food source. You can go to You Tube and find countless videos from people who have done an experiment which shows how long it takes for fast food to break down. These videos show that when fast food burgers and fries are left out, they don’t break down. Even after several months go by, they look about the same as the day they were handed to somebody at the drive through window. (Bacteria doesn’t even want to eat this crap!) There is one video showing a burger that was put underwater for two weeks: absolutely no change, and the water it was submerged in was still clear.
I truly believe we need to take a serous look at what we define as food. If it can’t be properly broken down so that nutrients can be extracted from it, I don’t see how we can call it food. The simple fact is, people don’t truly realize the damage they are doing to their body in the name of convenience.
Very powerful marketing companies have done an excellent job convincing people to make very unhealthy choices. They have successfully conned us into believing that fast food is food, and that it’s more convenient. It’s not! The amount of time it takes for you to pull in to the local fast food restaurant, wait in line, order your food, and wait to get it is not faster than simply throwing something quick together in the morning (or the evening before) and bringing it with you. I have had many of my clients report back to me that after they had developed some new habits, they had more time because they did not have to stop and get food (plus they had more energy from eating food that is actually good for them).
The fast food problem is compounded by the fact that we are still following nutritional guidelines that were based on studies commissioned by the National Dairy Council. This means the current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) allowance for cholesterol is 300mg, which is 200 more mg than your body can remove on its own per day. The level set by the nutritional guidelines is, it seems, more about the need to sell dairy products than to acknowledge current scientific thought about nutrition.
Little things like this make it easy for people to justify unhealthy choices. What makes matters worse is when they do try and seek out information about how to change their diet, they are bombarded with conflicting information. The conflicting information just makes the whole subject confusing. In my workbook, by comparison, there are food group sections, shopping lists, and recipes that make your dietary choices simple, and easy to follow.
We all need to learn to think a little differently. I see people all the time that have been conditioned into going through their day in a way that leaves them completely blindsided by the discovery they need to eat lunch. This sudden realization happens everyday, and yet every day they are totally unprepared. As a result, they end up falling victim to whatever unhealthy food choice is readily available.
Creating new habits is not easy, and dietary habits are, by far, the toughest to change. So what I like to do with my clients is start with one thing. This way, the client is able to create some success, and we can then build on that. With this approach, what you will find is that, once you start feeling the benefits of better nutrition—more energy for example—you’ll tend to want more, and then some of those better choices begin to get a little easier. The quickest success I know of is beginning your day with a blended drink.
I will be posting more information about the “Blended Drink” in my next post.